Black Panther: Wakandan Vegetable Pilau

Just a few more days until the Oscars and I’m so exited for this recipe that I was so excited to find on Tasty. Nnedi Okorafor, the writer of Black Panther: Long Live the King, teamed up with Tasty to cook up a dish that might be enjoyed in Wakanda. Visit Tasty to view the recipe and to see the video of Okorafor explaining how the dish was made.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. The spices and addition of vegetables were such a great combination. On top of that, the sauce with the lamb is INCREDIBLE! Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think. Please enjoy!

Black Panther: Wakandan Vegetable Pilau

A recipe for Wakandan Vegetable Pilau with lamb inspired by the Oscar nomainted Marvel movie, Black Panther.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

lamb

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 pounds lamb shoulder cut into 2" cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium red onions minced
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 4 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger minced
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups beef broth

Vegetable Pilau

• 1/4 cup ghee
• 2 medium red onions sliced
• 1/2 green cabbage core removed and shredded
• 2 cups carrots shredded
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cardamon
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 2 scallions sliced
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Method

 

1. Heat a saucepan over high heat. Add the oil and once very hot, add the lamb. Do not overcrowd the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides until golden brown. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, turn the heat down to medium low and add the red onions and cool until very soft and brown , 15 minutes. Add the ghee, garlic, ginger, paprika, cayenne, fenugreek, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and tomato paste. Mix to combine.
3. Add the beef stock and stir to combine all the ingredients. Bring the sauce to a boil and return the lamb back to the pot. Let it simmer under medium low heat for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. The lamb should be very tender.
4. To start the pilau, melt the ghee is a shallow pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until caramelized, 20 minutes.
5. Add the cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook until the vegetables are softened. Season with salt and pepper, cumin, curry powder, and cardamon.
6. Stir in the rice and add the water. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Let it cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes until the water has absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
7. Remove the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
8. Serve on a large platter with the lamb and sauce spooned on top.